Could You Love Me?
by Ayumi-chan
Summary: Ryoko sings out her feelings out on the rooftop late one night. Without knowing, Tenchi awoke to investigate the singing and finds Ryoko proclaiming her love to him. What does he do? Read and find out. And please review. Thanks.


Disclaimers: Nothing here belongs to me except for the idea of the story.  
  
I've been having this writers block problem for a while now so I'm sorry if I've been delaying my chapters for "Where Dreams begin". If any of you have any ideas for the next chapter I'd definitely would love to hear them. Even for my fic "Will I Ever See You Again?"  
  
The song "You Don't See Me" is used for this fanfic. I got the song off of the "Josie and the Pussycats" soundtrack CD.  
  
The song "When Your Eyes Say It" is used for this fanfic. I got the song from Britney Spear's sophomore album, "Oops!...I Did It Again"  
  
This is my second Tenchi/Ryoko fanfic written and I really tried my best to make it good enough for Tenchi/Ryoko readers. If you've read more than just one of my works posted at FF.net, you can automatically tell that I'm practicing on my writing technique ::giggles:: Please review and let me know what you think of it. Thanx.  
  
"..." talking  
  
'...' thinking  
  
=...= lyrics  
  
~*~  
  
Title: Could You Love Me?  
  
Author: Ayumi-chan  
  
Email: AyumiTsukino@aol.com  
  
Rated: PG13  
  
My TMuyo Site: http://www.geocities.com/littleryoko16  
  
~*~  
  
Night was always the worst. Ryoko stared out through the wavy glass panes that distorted the darkness, saw only her weary reflection, and wondered how much longer she could stand it.  
  
As far back as she could remember, every day ever since her release from the cave, Ryoko had done everything in her power, from the first gray hint of dawn till blackness curtained the mullioned windows of the Masaki house to get Tenchi to at least acknowledge her existence.  
  
'Would you like someone to talk to, Ryoko dear?' Washu, the greatest scientist in the universe and also her mother asked telepathically.  
  
Ryoko frowned. 'Get out of my head.'  
  
'Are you sure?'  
  
'Get out!' Ryoko screamed through the link before blocking it off from Washu.  
  
"Damn that Washu!" Ryoko mumbled, teleporting out of her room. "And damn that Zero too, for making me feel this way." She added.  
  
Ryoko appeared on the roof of the house, just above Tenchi's room. She glanced up at the sky as tears began to cloud her vision.  
  
'Tenchi.' Ryoko silently cried out.  
  
In Tenchi's room, Tenchi opened his eyes. He felt like someone was calling out for him, but he didn't have any idea who it would be.  
  
"I probably dreamt that whole thing up." Tenchi muttered, getting out of bed to open his window. "That's better." He sighed and got back into bed.  
  
As a breeze blew in his window, he heard something that sounded like an angel singing. Curious, Tenchi got up again and leaned out the window a bit. That's when he heard it.  
  
=This is the place where I sit  
  
This is the part where I love you too much  
  
Is this as hard as it gets  
  
Cause I'm getting tired of pretending you're tough  
  
I'm here if you want me  
  
Yours you can hold me  
  
I'm empty and taken and tumbling' and breaking'  
  
Cause you don't see me  
  
And you don't need me  
  
And you don't love me  
  
The way I wish you would  
  
The way I know you could=  
  
"Who is that singing?" Tenchi whispered. 'It sounds like it's coming from the roof... I better go see."  
  
Tenchi quietly crept out of his room to get up onto the roof.  
  
Another tear fell from Ryoko's eyes as she began singing the next verse of the song.  
  
=I dream a world where you understand  
  
That I dream a million sleepless nights  
  
But I dream of fire when you're touching my hand  
  
But it twists into smoke when I turn on the lights  
  
I'm speechless and faded  
  
It's too complicated  
  
Is this how the book ends  
  
Nothing but good friends  
  
Cause you don't see me  
  
And you don't need me  
  
And you don't love me  
  
The way I wish you would=  
  
Tenchi stood on the roof in shock. There in front of him was a cyan-haired angel... Ryoko. He watched silently as tears kept falling, unable to will his body to move towards her... to comfort... to love?  
  
=This is the place in my heart  
  
This is the place where I'm falling apart  
  
Isn't this just where we met  
  
Is this the last chance that I'll ever get  
  
I wish I was lonely  
  
Instead of just stoney  
  
Crystal and see-through and not enough to you  
  
Cause you don't see me  
  
And you don't need me  
  
And you don't love me  
  
The way I wish you would  
  
The way I know you could=  
  
"One day I'll tell you Tenchi Masaki." Ryoko whispered, not noticing that she wasn't alone.  
  
'Tell me what?' Tenchi wondered.  
  
"One day, I promise you'll know that I love you... I love you with every breath that I take, every beat in my heart, every tear that I shed." One last tear trailed down her pale cheek as she teleported herself off of the roof.  
  
Tenchi stared at the spot that Ryoko had just occupied. 'She loves me that much? But I don't even know who I love.' He sighed and slowly walked back into his room. To preoccupied to sleep, he stayed up all night, coming to terms what he always tried to avoid. Which of the girls did he love.  
  
'I know it now. I've always loved you... Ryoko.' Tenchi sighed. Now he just had to figure out a way to tell Ryoko and not hurt Ayeka in the process.  
  
"It won't matter. Ayeka will get hurt by my decision anyway." He whispered.  
  
As morning arrived, the smell of food preparing in the kitchen slowly woke the Masaki household up until everyone was seated, waiting for a grab at the food.  
  
"Okay... you can begin." Sasami giggled.  
  
Everyone dug in.  
  
"Wow! All this food is great Sasami." Ryoko happily attacked her plate.  
  
"Thank you Ryoko." Sasami beamed.  
  
"Yes. It's very delicious." Ayeka praised, taking another bite.  
  
"I agree." Tenchi replied.  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Right on!"  
  
"Delightful."  
  
"The best."  
  
Sasami blushed. "Thank you."  
  
Stuffing the last bite into her mouth, Ryoko placed her fork on the table. "Well I'm done." Ryoko clapped her hands together and stood up.  
  
Everyone stopped eating and stared at her.  
  
"What?" Ryoko asked, getting a tad annoyed.  
  
Sasami asked sweetly. "Wouldn't you like another plate Ryoko? You've never turned down a second helping."  
  
"I'm sorry Sasami. I guess I'm not as hungry as I was yesterday." Taking one quick glance at Tenchi, she disappeared.  
  
=I love to hear you say that you love me  
  
With words so sweet  
  
And I love the way with just one whisper  
  
You tell me everything  
  
And when you say those words  
  
It's the sweetest thing I've ever heard=  
  
"Excuse me. There's something I need to do." Tenchi stood up and was about to walk away when Ayeka stopped him.  
  
"L-Lord Tenchi?"  
  
"Yes, Miss Ayeka?" Tenchi turned to face her.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Ayeka looked worry.  
  
"I need to go find Ryoko, that's all." Tenchi turned and continued on his way.  
  
'That demon woman!' She fumed inwardly. "But why?" Ayeka replied, clearly angry at his sudden concern for the space pirate. "She's just a lying thieving monster! Just leave her be!"  
  
Tenchi stopped once again and turned back to Ayeka, very angry. "Ayeka. I know there's no other way around it." He sighed. "I love..."  
  
Ayeka interrupted him immediately. "Oh, I knew it. You've always loved me."  
  
"Ayeka, you don't understand."  
  
"Of course I do. You want to spend the rest of your life with me." She grinned and stepped forward, enveloping him in a hug. "Well, I lov..."  
  
"Ayeka. I was trying to tell you that I love Ryoko... not you." Pushing her away a bit.  
  
"What?!?" Shocked, she took a couple of steps back.  
  
"I love Ryoko." He sighed and looked at the ground. "I'm sorry."  
  
Tenchi took his eyes away from the ground to look at her, and realized that she was gone. He sighed in defeat.  
  
"It was eventually going to happen one day."  
  
Tenchi set off again to find Ryoko.  
  
=But when your eyes say it  
  
That's when I know that it's true  
  
I feel it  
  
I feel the love coming through  
  
I know it  
  
I know that you truly care for me  
  
'Cause it's there to see  
  
When your eyes say it=  
  
Ryoko sighed as she entered the mouth of the cave that imprisoned her for 700 years. "Back where we first met." A tear fell. "I love you Tenchi."  
  
Ryoko fell to her knees as the sobs her soo longed to hide broke free.  
  
=I love all the ways that you show me  
  
You'll never leave  
  
And the way your kisses, they always convince me  
  
Your feelings run so deep  
  
I love the things you say  
  
And I love the love your touch conveys=  
  
"Why do you torment me so... I'd give up everything, just to hear you say you loved me back." Ryoko hugged her knees.  
  
=But when your eyes say it  
  
That's when I know that it's true  
  
I feel it  
  
I feel the love coming through  
  
I know it  
  
I know that you truly care for me  
  
'Cause it's there to see  
  
When your eyes tell me  
  
I know they're not telling lies  
  
They tell me  
  
All that you're feeling inside  
  
And it sounds so right  
  
When your eyes say it, say it=  
  
"I love you too."  
  
"Tenchi!" Ryoko gasped and stood up, rapidly drying her face to cover the tears. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Looking for you." Tenchi stepped closer.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I love you."  
  
"Don't lie Tenchi. Not about that." Ryoko looked down, kicking the dirt around her feet.  
  
"Why would I lie about that?" Tenchi asked.  
  
"Because... you couldn't love a monster like me. I've done bad things in my past..."  
  
"Under the control of Kagato."  
  
"But I still did it anyway."  
  
"You can't change what's in the past." Tenchi walked until he was standing face to face with her. He gently lifted her face up.  
  
Ryoko averted her eyes until Tenchi spoke again.  
  
"Ryoko... look at me."  
  
"What?" Ryoko mumbled.  
  
"What does my eyes say to you?"  
  
Ryoko slowly glanced up as another tear fell down her cheek and saw love shining through them. Not pity, not hate, but love.  
  
"I..."  
  
=When your eyes tell me  
  
I know they're not telling lies  
  
They tell me  
  
All that you're feelin' inside  
  
And it sounds so right  
  
When your eyes say it=  
  
"I love you... my Ryoko." Tenchi pulled her into his embrace. "I've always loved you. I was just too stubborn to admit it."  
  
"I love you too."  
  
This time, Ryoko shed a tear not out of sadness, but of joy as Tenchi captured her lips in an earth-shattering kiss.  
  
Minutes later.  
  
"But what about Ayeka?" Ryoko whispered.  
  
"I all ready told her who my heart chose."  
  
"Oh... okay." Ryoko slowly smiled.  
  
"So where will I be sleeping tonight?"  
  
Tenchi blushed and felt a nosebleed coming on, which did. Ryoko laughed outloud.  
  
"You're soo cute when you do that."  
  
This only caused Tenchi to blush more.  
  
-fin- 


End file.
